Mirrorverse
by Gambit14
Summary: An alternate universe, loyalties have shifted. The Misfits, the X-men, and the Joes are the resistance, and have to try to overthrow Cobra. R&R the completed fic.
1. Introduction to Mirrorverse

Disclaimer, Do I need to tell you that I own no X-men or G.I. Joe characters and that the Delgato children, Xi, sort-of Spyder, and Angelina, as well as the Evo versions of Angelica and Beaky were graciously loaned to me by Red Witch? Good. This is an idea, that popped into my head, took root, refused to go away until it was nourished, and then eventually took complete control of my central nervous system. I have cannibalized several plots to come up with this. Yes, there will be angst, action, a smattering of romance, comic references, and never before seen (In the Misfit universe anyways) characters.  
  
O.K. here it is.  
  
No more fooling around. Oh one short note, no, the Watcher isn't mine, and though because I didn't know much about him, he fit the part. Anyone who can name the saga he comes from shall be rewarded with an invisible flamingo, disguised as an invisible penguin.  
  
Introduction to Mirrorverse  
  
The scene is an apparently deserted ancient base on the moon. There is however, a strange dome. Inside the dome, one who could only be described as a being operates a complex computer system.  
  
Entry 1265493863: I am the Watcher. As my name implies I watch, both actions, and thoughts. As of late, I have been watching a pair of rival groups of self-styled heroes. The first, an independent paramilitary organization of mutants, calls themselves the X-men. The second, a group of mutants working closely with a branch of the military known as G.I. Joe, are known as the Misfits.  
  
The X-men and Misfits know they are not the only dimension. In fact, they have traveled to several others. But there is one they do not even dream exists, though if they were to, it would be closer to a nightmare to them.  
  
In this mirrorverse COBRA rules the Americas, and the Misfits, Joes, and X-men, though having joined forces, are hard-pressed to stay alive. As a result, Captain America was never unfrozen.  
  
These are my observations of universe. I shall refer to them as the Mirrorverse Chronicles. The first entry I shall make is on a mission designed to receive assistance from Excalibur, a British super-hero team, as well as unthaw Captain America  
  
Toad entered the Cobra base carefully. Glancing around to make sure he hadn't been spotted, he signaled the rest of the team. Logan, Kitty, Kurt, Xi, Beach Head, Arcade, and Wild Bill dropped over the wall.  
  
They snuck towards the hangar. A guard passed in front of them. Toad motioned for the rest of them to wait, and then trailed the guard around the wall. A few minutes later he returned, wiping a morning star on a rag, then sliding it back into a pouch on his belt. He motioned the team forward.  
  
They reached the hangar. Xi became invisible and stealthily entered the building. Ten minutes later he came back out, once again visible, and signaled the all clear.  
  
The team moved in. There was a three seating jet. Wild Bill climbed in the pilot seat, while Kitty took the copilots seat, and Kurt the gunner's.  
  
"Good luck." Said Toad  
  
Wild Bill hit the ignition on the jet. Beach Head headed over to a panel, and opened the main hangar doors, which were about thirty feet off the ground. A few seconds later, the plane was airborne. ***********************************************************************  
An alarm sounded through the compound. Cobra troops poured out of the barracks. Beach Head took charge.  
  
"Toad, Xi, get to the AA guns. We can't risk them shooting the plane down. Arcade, place the explosives on the rest of the planes, Logan, with me. We've got to get into the research and development center. Then, we can get the Captain and get out of here."  
  
The team split up. ***********************************************************************  
Xi and Toad raced through the compound. As they approached the building that housed the antiaircraft guns, three Cobra soldiers stepped in the way. Toad drew his a ninja sword, and ran the first through. Xi easily broke another's neck.  
  
Toad threw a body block at the last one, who had brought his gun up to bear.  
  
"Xi, get in there, I'll take care of this."  
  
As Xi ran into the building, Toad continued to grapple with his opponent. Suddenly the soldier drew a knife from his belt. Toad managed to block the first stab by knocking his forearm against his opponent's. The soldier backed away cautiously, on his guard now.  
  
This gave Toad time to draw a long hunting knife. The two circled each other, each looking for a momentary lapse of the other's guard that would allow them to strike. *********************************************************************** Arcade checked the ammo on his pistol, and then placed a plastic explosive on one plane's fuel tank. Then he spotted the refueling equipment to the side of he warehouse. He placed another charge.  
  
There was a sound near the entrance of the warehouse, and Arcade spun around. Ten Cobra Vipers filled the entrance.  
  
Arcade dove behind a pile of crates, and crouched, sticking his head up every now and again to squeeze of a shot at the Vipers. However, due to the Kevlar they were wearing, a shot to the torso didn't accomplish much, and he had no time to take careful aim.  
  
He was out of ammo by the time he had killed three of them. With his back to the crate he reloaded. He heard the sound of something bouncing on the other side of the crate.  
  
Then he realized what it was. A grenade. He flung himself away from the crates, and not a moment to soon. As it was the force of the explosion hurled him into a wall.  
  
He rolled behind a fuel barrel, and then a thought came to him. If I don't get out of here in about thirty seconds, I'm finished. The main hangar doors are to high up for me to climb out, but if I could get high enough I could jump out. Not far away, a stack of crates, no doubt containing fueling equipment, was stacked in a way that would make them easy to climb. The only problem was that it was to far to go without the Vipers gunning him down.  
  
He sighed, and sticking his head over the top of the barrel, and snapped off another shot, hitting a Viper in the head. ***********************************************************************  
Logan and Beach Head ran towards the research center. As they approached the research center, Beach Head unslung an AK-47 from a shoulder holster. There were five Vipers guarding the research center. Beach Head's bullets cut down two, before the others realized what was happening. By then, it was too late. Wolverine was on them.  
  
The two stormed through the door. The slab where Captain America should have been was empty.  
  
"We've been set up!" Growled Wolverine. As he said so, as if too confirm it, an adamantium barrier snapped down over the door. Thirty Vipers walked through the other door wearing strange masks.  
  
Then a gas started leaking in.  
  
"Five will get you ten that this knocks out my healing factor," grumbled Wolverine."  
  
Beach Head aimed his gun.  
  
Then a voice came over the loud speaker.  
  
"Don't bother, you won't get very far."  
  
"McCoy." Growled Wolverine.  
  
Yep, Dark Beast, I swiped him from the age of Apocalypse. Next, how will our heroes get out of this? You'll find out, but only if I get some reviews to tell me that people are reading this. I don't care if its only one, but I really need some reviews. So please, PLEASE review me. In case you don't know how, it's that little blue button down there at the bottom of the screen. The one that says Review right next to it. It isn't that hard to figure out. 


	2. Captured

All right, to start out with, I'm sorry this took so long, but I've been busy. Second, no one has been able to identify the Watcher yet. I'll give it a few more chapters, and then I'll reveal it. Now that that's out of the way, I'll get on with the story.  
  
Captured  
  
Toad darted in, and slashed at his opponent. The man blocked Toad's cut with his own knife, then jabbed at Toad's stomach. Toad stepped back just in time, and struck again, ripping open the man's shoulder.  
  
The man feigned, then when Toad moved to block it, slashed at him. Toad felt the cut open up along his chest. He sprang forward, and came body to body with the Cobra soldier.  
  
If Toad had been human, things might have gone badly for him here. But Toad was a mutant, with mutant abilities. He used one of them then.  
  
He spit his acid slime directly into the man's face. The man howled in agony and dropped to his knees. Toad kicked him in the chin, hard. This drove his head back so violently that it snapped his neck. Stepping contemptuously over his corpse, Toad strode into the AA control building.  
  
Xi was lying on the ground, and a dart was sticking out of his neck. Three Cobra soldiers stood over him. Another two lay dead on the ground beside him. One of the soldiers fired a dart at Toad. It entered his neck. He threw the knife he was carrying at one of the soldiers, and then passed out. ***********************************************************************  
Arcade suddenly realized how he could get to the crates without being shot. He tipped the barrel on its side, and rolled it towards the Vipers. In the split second that it took for them to realize what he was doing, he fired. It exploded, killing them instantly.  
  
However, it also started off a chain reaction, which caused a fireball, which was approaching the refueling station Arcade had set a bomb on. He ran for the crates, climbed them, and dove out the hangar doors. The explosion from the refueling station knocked him forward and into the wall of the barracks. The collision knocked him on his back, and winded him. As a result he was an easy target for the Cobra soldier that found him.  
  
The man simply injected him with a clear liquid, and he passed out. ***********************************************************************  
Beach Head fired at the advancing Vipers. Wolverine unsheathed his claws and tore into them. Ten more entered the room.  
  
"This isn't going to work," said Beach Head. "Listen, there's a window over there. They haven't managed to cover it with Adamantium yet. If you can get there, you can get out. Once you're out of here, you can use your powers to pick up Captain America's scent."  
  
"What about you?" asked Wolverine.  
  
"I'll hold them off as long as I can. I've always pictured that dying in the service of my country was the greatest honor. Now go!"  
  
"Fine." Wolverine dashed to the window, and leapt through. He landed on the roof of a truck. A quick whiff told him what it was transporting.  
  
With his claws, he sliced an opening in the roof of the cab. He did this with such skill and precision that the driver didn't realize what was happening until Wolverine's claws entered the top of his skull. By then of course it was too late. Wolverine yanked him out of the cab, and threw his dead body onto the ground below. Then he dropped into the drivers seat. Before the man riding shotgun could realize what had happened, he was dead. Wolverine slammed on the brakes.  
  
Concentrating solely on his advanced sense of hearing, Wolverine listened to the trailer of the truck.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Why did Jack stop the truck?"  
  
"Could have sworn I heard Jake scream."  
  
"Get ready, concentrate your aim on the door." This last was followed by the sound of six guns clicking. Wolverine slammed one claws through the back wall, and into the back of one man's neck, he severed his vocal cords instantly, then withdrew his claw from the wall, and jumped back out through the hole he had made in the roof.  
  
He pressed his ear against the top of the trailer, and listened.  
  
"Joe, man get up, this isn't funny."  
  
"He's dead. Look, someone stabbed him with something through the wall to the cab." Apparently the speaker had pressed his eye to the hole because he went on. "I was right, Jake's dead. Joe's not in there."  
  
"What happened to Jake?"  
  
Wolverine opened up a hole in the roof and dropped down. "I did," he snarled.  
  
He tore through three of the remaining five guards easily, and then turned to the remaining two. One of them fired his weapon. It wasn't a normal gun; in fact, it was some kind of energy weapon. Wolverine found that it had paralyzed him.  
  
The other guard lowered his weapon at Wolverine's forehead and fired, point blank. This one was a normal gun, firing steel bullets. The man fired again. And again. After the sixth shot, Wolverine lost consciousness. ***********************************************************************  
  
Beach Head killed the last of the latest batch of Vipers. Again, the door in the back opened up, and again ten more Vipers entered. Beach Head crouched behind the research and development table. He stood up briefly, fired, and then crouched back down. He was rewarded with the sound of another Viper hitting the ground.  
  
The Vipers surrounded the table, and Beach Head rolled underneath it. Then he pushed slammed into a Viper's legs, and shot him in the head as he fell. Then he stood back up. He fired again, and swept his gun back and fort as he did so, spraying the room with bullets. Seven more Vipers fell. Beach Head aimed his gun at the last one, and pulled the trigger.  
  
The gun was out of ammo. Acting as much out of instinct as out of any training that he had received Beach Head drew his field knife and lunged at the man. The gun fired twice, and Beach Head fell, but not before he had driven the knife into the man's neck.  
  
Time passed. No more Vipers came into the room. Beach Head's life force was bleeding out through his chest and kneecap.  
  
He gritted his teeth, and staggered back to his feet. He walked through the doors, into the other room. It was empty. He had turned back the Vipers. But now he was dying.  
  
As his vision started to go black, he pulled out his gun, and laid it across his chest. Then he closed his eyes, and drifted off into an eternal sleep.  
  
Yes Beach Head is dead. Alternate universe remember? I sincerely hope that doesn't upset anybody. I gave him a hero's death, and that should make some difference. Right? 


	3. Chains of Command

Right, as of yet, no one has identified the watcher. This is the last chapter for him. Second order of business, I would like to thank all of you wonderful people for reviewing me. Finally, next chapter I will have a new reviewer challenge, however, I am changing the prize to something that's actually appealing, an Evo pic! Now that that's all out of the way, let's get on with the bloody story. In this chapter we see just what's going on in the resistance and Cobra.  
  
Chains of Command  
  
In a darkened room in a private residence in what was once New York City before Cobra took over, the leaders of the Resistance met.  
  
Gathered around a table strewn with various maps and charts were Hawk, Xavier, Fury, and Spyke.  
  
Xavier spoke up, "General Hawk, I find this entirely unacceptable. We have had no radio contact with the infiltration team. Further more, they did not arrive at the rendezvous point. Now you're telling me to just sit back and do nothing?"  
  
"What I am telling you Professor is that I have already dispatched a squad to deal with it."  
  
"One squad?!" Yelled Xavier. "The fate of some of the best fighters in the Resistance rests on the shoulders of a single squad? I'd come to expect better judgment from you than that."  
  
"Much as I trust in your experience Hawk," said Fury, "I have to agree with Xavier. How many men in this squad?"  
  
"Only four, but I have confidence in their ability,"  
  
Xavier cut him off, "I have no confidence in the ability of a four man squad attacking one of Cobra's most heavily fortified bases to do anything besides get themselves, and the men they're supposed to be rescuing killed!"  
  
Spyke joined in the conversation. "As the representative of the Morlocks, I would like to point out that it's not the number of a team that matters, but their skill," he turned to Hawk, "General, if you wouldn't mind sharing with the rest of us, what squad exactly did you send?"  
  
A slow smile crept across Hawks features. "I sent the squad I thought best equipped to handle anything that might come up." He paused, and then went on, "Sgt. Slaughter and his boys."  
  
Xavier nodded thoughtfully, "I would like to withdraw my earlier statement, if anyone can do this it's them."  
  
"I wouldn't like to be the Cobra's on guard at that base right about now." Said Fury. Spyke nodded his agreement. ***********************************************************************  
Jean and Althea were handing out weapons to a group of hardened resistance fighters.  
  
"Alright." Said Althea, "Your job is simple. We're going to Death Valley. Cobra has set up a mutant research facility there. Team Alpha will concentrate on trashing the labs and equipment. That takes up the majority of the compound. Jean will be the leader of that team. Team Beta will strike the containment facilities, here." She pointed to a map. "I'll head this team. Team Omega will attempt to rob the arsenal, here. " She pointed to another spot on the map  
  
"These last two parts of the mission in particular are crucial," said Jean, "In addition to preventing Cobra from starting a mutant army, we'll be boosting our own firepower. Not to mention the possibility that some of the mutants might join the resistance."  
  
"Who will be heading Team Omega?" asked somebody in the group.  
  
"I will." Said Cyclops from the back of the room. "The mission was designed to be headed by Toad, but he is currently on another assignment. I'll do the best I can to fill in for him." ***********************************************************************  
Before they left, Jean put her hand on Althea's shoulder. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah," sighed Althea, "I'm just worried about Toad."  
  
"I can understand that. I get really nervous whenever Scott's away for longer than he needs to be." She shook her head, "And to think that just six months ago, my biggest worry was passing my GED."  
  
"Yeah, well, life's crazy sometimes. And having the whole world turned upside down doesn't exactly help. Keep your eyes open out there. Rumor is Cobra's making a lot more progress than our intelligence anticipated."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind. Let's go, the troops are waiting for us," ***********************************************************************  
Cobra Commander paced his office. "Mindbender," he said, with unusual calm.  
  
"Yes sir?" asked Mindbender with apprehension, Cobra Commander was never this calm, unless he was setting somebody up with a false set of security.  
  
"What is the status of the experiments you are currently conducting in Death Valley?"  
  
"I have made considerable progress in the subliminal messages we're using on the captured mutants, in fact in no less than a month they should be completely under our control. Then we can use them to lash out and destroy London, Moscow, Paris, Madrid, and the capitals of any others who oppose us."  
  
"As fascinating as that is." Said Cobra Commander dryly, "You know very well that that wasn't what I meant. As long as we are using subliminal messages to control our captives, we're limited to the continually decreasing amount of mutants we can capture. Not to mention that, if Dark Beasts latest reports are true, the subliminal messages are killing a significant percentage of them." He looked at Mindbender, "Speaking of which, I note that you neglected to inform me of that interesting side effect."  
  
"Um, I'm only a few days away from fixing that. I didn't see any reason that you needed to know about that temporary set back."  
  
"I require you to inform me of any set back, no matter how temporary. Be sure that you remember that in the future. But that's not why I summoned you here. I want to know how you're doing with mutating already loyal Cobra soldiers. We certainly have enough of them."  
  
"Well, we're running into some problems with the genetic splicing."  
  
"Mindbender, I don't want excuses. Give me your best estimate as to when you can do it."  
  
"I would say, at the very least, I will need another six months. That is, if no further problems develop."  
  
"That is completely unacceptable. I need them in three months at the very least."  
  
"Cobra Commander, the resources you have given me will not allow me to completely mutate the soldiers within your deadline."  
  
"Well, in that case, I'll have to put someone on the job who can. Dark Beast will be replacing you."  
  
"Sir, you can't mean that."  
  
"I most certainly can. You forget who's the ruler of half the world. I am, you are not. Dark Beast shall be replacing you. That is my final word on the matter. You will be conducting less vital experiments. In Antarctica."  
  
"But sir!"  
  
"No buts Mindbender. You have failed me, and this is your punishment. That is all; you are dismissed. Your transport is waiting."  
  
"Yes sir." ***********************************************************************  
Destro and Dark Beast met in a darkened room of an old abandoned fort. Destro said, "Alpha Omega Theta."  
  
"Beta Delta." Answered Dark Beast. "Good to know it's you."  
  
"Likewise. How is the plan coming?"  
  
"Well, I have reason to believe that Cobra Commander plans to transport me to Death Valley."  
  
"Excellent. You should be able to make good use of the subliminal programming equipment."  
  
"Yes, but I need to make the final adjustment to the shapeshifters'* programming before I leave."  
  
"Understood, see that you do."  
  
"I will, and then, when the time is right, we shall dispose of that dolt Cobra Commander and replace him with one of the shapeshifters."  
  
"And then we shall rule Cobra."  
  
"That is the plan." Replied Beast, but he was thinking 'Actually my dear Destro, then I shall rule Cobra alone.'  
  
"Very good." Answered Destro, all the while thinking, 'And after you complete the adjustments, I shall dispose of you.' ***********************************************************************  
When Mindbender left, he didn't go to the waiting transport. He went down into his quarters, pulled out a vial of clear liquid, and some sort of spraying apparatus, and put them carefully in a bag. Then he pulled out a small device that looked like a detonator, and a walkie-talkie. Only then did he go to the waiting transport.  
  
As he walked out of the room he was muttering to himself, "Damn Cobra Commander. Thinks he knows everything that goes in Death Valley. Thinks I don't have a brain in my head. Well, after my plan unwinds he'll realize that I do." ***********************************************************************  
The Baroness turned to the group of six women assembled in front of her. They were her personal guard, and loyal to her above all others. "Women, our days of bowing to that over pompous snake Cobra Commander and his second in command Destro, are over. In exactly three hours we shall act, and kill them both. Then I shall assume my rightful place at the head of Cobra."  
  
Cheers went up from the group. "Down with Cobra Commander! Down with Destro! Up with the Baroness!"  
  
"Now, go, and prepare yourselves for the time we act!"  
  
***********************************************************************  
Zanya sat back in her chair, and watched all of these events transpire, through a network of spy bugs. Her aunt, Zarana, stood behind her.  
  
"All this is quite interesting, but whom shall we sell our services to?" Zarana asked.  
  
"Who ever pays us the highest amount of money, as always." Answered Zanya automatically.  
  
The Dreadknocks, who were also in the room snickered. "Yeah Zarana, isn't that what we normally do?" Asked Torch.  
  
"It is a rather redundant question considering we are a group of mercenaries." Said Road Pig. "Yeah, It's obvious!"  
  
Well, double dealing and backstabbing. What's Mindbender up to now? What's going on in Death Valley? And where does the Brotherhood fit into all of this? Find out next chapter, just as soon as you review that is. 


	4. Breakout

O.K. no one has gotten the reviewer challenge yet, so I've got a new one. Who were the four survivors of the Age of Apocalypse? The prize remains the same, a shiny new Evo pic.  
  
Breakout  
  
Toad paced his cell. He and the others were in small cells, with electrified bars. The release mechanisms were on the other side of the hall, so that even if they could reach through the bars, they wouldn't be able to hit it. It also required three different keys. Toad, due to his past experience as a thief, as well as his ninja training, was also hanging upside down by one ankle. In addition, all of the mutants were wearing restraining collars. Cobra had thawed Captain America out, simply for the pleasure of gloating. They also planned to brainwash him and use his DNA later.  
  
Speaking of gloating, Dark Beast had been doing that for a while. However, at the moment he had left to carry out several important experiments. This gave Toad time to carry out his plan. He and Captain America, due to a lack of cells, were sharing one. Toad reached into his sock, and pulled out his lock pick.  
  
"Toad, what exactly are you trying to accomplish?" asked Arcade. "The lock is on the other side of hall. Even if you could swing over to the bars, you couldn't reach them."  
  
In answer, Toad grabbed the lock pick with his tongue, which had not been affected by the restraining collar because it was a purely physical mutation. He stuck it out, through the electric bars, and, as the others watched on in dumbfounded amazement, picked the lock with his tongue. Captain America, seized up the momentum, and broke Toad's chain. They ran out. And from down the hall came the sound of several Cobra guards approaching. Captain America stood, ready to fight, but Toad shook his head.  
  
"There's too many of them, and you're still not strong enough to take them. Let's go."  
  
"But the others,"  
  
"We can't help them if we're dead! Now move!"  
  
Captain America reluctantly obeyed, and he and Toad ran. Toad led him through the compound. They finally arrived at a room, high on the thirtieth story of the huge research and development building. Toad kicked the door open. Inside there was a huge computer, some type of explosives, and a window. There was no other door.  
  
"Is this were we make our last stand?" Captain America asked Toad.  
  
"No, this is where you trust my crazy, seemingly suicidal plan. Hold on to my neck, and don't let go no matter what." Captain America complied, putting his arms around Toad's neck. Toad grabbed the explosive, threw it towards the door, then picked up Captain America, who was light, due to the cure Cobra had injected into him not fully restoring his molecular structure, and dove out the thirtieth story window.  
  
As they were falling Captain America asked, "What makes you think we can make it out of this alive?"  
  
"I've survived similar experiences," answered Toad.  
  
"You make it a regular practice to jump out thirtieth story windows?" Asked Captain America incredulously.  
  
"No but I have been thrown out of a jet before. Wait, here's our stop." He reached out with his tongue, and caught a horizontal flagpole. Hanging from it was the Cobra version of the American flag. It had the thirteen stripes, but where the stars had been, there was an image of a coiled Cobra.  
  
"O.K." Said Captain America, visibly shaken by the flag, "What the hell is going on here?"  
  
Toad used his tongue as leverage to swing out above the compound. He swung out above the base, then whipped his tongue back into his mouth, and landed, feet first, on the outer wall. He set down Captain America. "It's not really my place to tell you. You'll have to talk to Hawk and Fury."  
  
From outside the wall, a voice called out, "Toad, is that you?"  
  
"Sgt. Slaughter?" Asked Toad. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was sent here to save your sorry butt, that's what I'm doing here."  
  
Toad looked around at the Cobra troops rushing along both sides of the wall. "Nice job."  
  
"I'm working on it. Taurus is on his way." Sure enough, the troops on the left were giving way to a man with an Eastern European accent and a machine gun. Soon they were in full-blown retreat. Toad and Captain America stopped them. Permanently.  
  
Sgt. Slaughter and the rest of the Renegades took up positions and shot down the rest of the troops as they came along the right side. "Now listen up, the only hook and line we had broke getting Taurus up." Taurus chuckled weakly, "Anyways, we need you to open the main doors. By the way where are the others?"  
  
"There was no time to get them." Said Toad. "We needed reinforcements."  
  
"Well, we got them." Said Captain America. "Let's go. I assume one of you knows how to get to the door controls?"  
  
Taurus nodded, "Follow me." He jumped down off the wall, managing to land on his feet. Toad and Captain America followed, more easily landing on their feet. Taurus led them to a room in the wall. Toad, now armed with a machine gun from the troops on the wall, kicked the door down. Six men were guarding the door. Toad sprayed three of them with bullets. Taurus killed another. Captain America finished off the fifth.  
  
The last one dove behind a table. He shot his head up and fired wildly, hitting Taurus in the arm, and Toad in the leg. Captain America kicked him in the face, knocking him out.  
  
Toad staggered over to the console. He hit the release button, and then slid helplessly to the floor. Soon everything was black. *********************************************************************** Toad awoke in someone's basement. Lifeline was changing the bandage on his leg.  
  
"Lifeline, what happened?" Toad asked, "The last thing I remember was opening the base doors, then I blacked out."  
  
"Sgt. Slaughter and the Renegades got the others out. They even managed to catch Dark Beast."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"They're holding him in an old bombed out jail."  
  
Toad got carefully to his feet. Ignoring the sharp stabs of pain from his injured leg, he went upstairs. Suddenly there was a loud screeching sound, as if from a car's breaks. Toad ran outside. It was a car's breaks. Lance stumbled out.  
  
"Dark Beast." He mumbled. "Don't know how he got out. Killed most of the guard with his bare hands. He was fighting Blob when I got out so I could warn you."  
  
Hawk had heard. "Aright, Quicksilver, Firestar, get out there and try and stop him. Move!" ***********************************************************************  
Quicksilver set down Althea outside the prison. He rushed around at superspeed, before coming back. "McCoy's nowhere in sight. Blob is getting himself out from under some rubble." He reported.  
  
"Alright, you scout the immediate area for Dark Beast. I'll help Blob."  
  
"How are you going to help him get out from under a ton of rubble?"  
  
"I'll melt some of it." Answered Firestar.  
  
Quicksilver nodded with understanding. He zoomed off at his top speed. ***********************************************************************  
Dark Beast had buried himself alive. Using his huge hands, he had dug a pit, and then covered it mostly with dirt, leaving only a few holes that provided enough oxygen for him to breathe.  
  
He felt the dirt gain sudden weight, which almost immediately dissipated. He smiled to himself. Quicksilver had come and gone. ***********************************************************************  
Firestar was melting huge pieces off of the rubble that was burying Blob. This allowed him to stand shakily up.  
  
"What happened," she asked.  
  
"I don't know." Blob said. "I was fighting Dark Beast, and he must have knocked one of the walls over on me. It was so heavy that I was having trouble getting it off."  
  
Quicksilver ran up. "No sign of McCoy, but there was a section of the dirt that was churned up. Looked like something had been buried there fairly recently. What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Check it out. McCoy might have had something on him he didn't want to risk us getting."  
  
"Got it." Quicksilver ran off. Blob and Firestar followed as fast as they could. When they arrived Quicksilver was standing over a pit in disbelief. "I don't get it. He was nowhere within a mile. There's no way he could have gotten here and dug up whatever it was."  
  
Firestar replied thoughtfully, "Unless what he buried was himself that is."  
  
Blob looked at her confused. "Why would he do a thing like that, Firestar?"  
  
"So he could keep me from noticing him," said Quicksilver bitterly, "And I guessed it worked didn't it? I fell for it like a ton of bricks."  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself." Said Firestar. "This guys a genius, remember?"  
  
"Yeah, I know. I guess we should get back to base then."  
  
"I guess you're right." Said Firestar. "And Pietro, why don't you ride with us in the jeep this time?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"So we can talk."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"I don't know, anything. It's been forever since I've been able to have a normal discussion."  
  
"Alright. If you were any kind of lipstick, what kind would you be?"  
  
"Pietro? Are you feeling alright?" asked Blob.  
  
"This isn't exactly what I meant when I said normal discussion," Firestar chuckled.  
  
Well, I guess it's good to know that some things never change. Even in alternate dimensions. Next, we get to see exactly what is going on in Death Valley, and Cobra's many rebellions. 


	5. The Many Rebellions of Cobra

All right, as many of you know I don't like mincing words, so I'll get right down to business. This is the last chapter for the latest reviewer challenge. Also, I'm going to bring this story to an end soon. For more alternate universe adventures be on the lookout for Rise of Cobra. Coming soon to a website near you. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to work the Death Valley mission into this, but I promise, that will be next chapter. Now that that's out of the way, on with the story.  
  
Death Valley or The Many Rebellions of Cobra  
  
Mindbender sat down in the plane, and then as soon as they were out of the base's weapon's range, pulled out the spray nozzle and the vial of clear liquid, and sprayed the gas into the pilot and guards' faces.  
  
For a while no one said anything, then the pilot spoke. "What happened?"  
  
"Congratulations gentlemen, the part of your brain that allows you to make decisions is no longer operating very well. You are now under my command. Pilot, alter course for Death Valley. You," he pointed at one of the guards, "get me a direct line to Cobra Commander."  
  
"Yes sir." They both said simultaneously.  
  
Mindbender pulled out the walkie-talkie, and activated it. "Yes, Zartan, it worked. Prepare the landing pad for a large transport." He turned back to the communications screen, where Cobra Commander was now scowling at the screen.  
  
"What do you want Mindbender?" he snarled.  
  
"I just thought I'd let you know that this transport is now headed towards Death Valley. The pilot's under my orders."  
  
"Guards, kill Mindbender!" Cobra Commander shouted.  
  
"Oh, did I forget to mention that I'm controlling them too?"  
  
"Damn you. So, why did you bother to alert me to this?"  
  
"I wanted to see the look on your face when you realized I had planted a bomb underneath your desk."  
  
"What?!" Abruptly Mindbender pressed the detonator and cut the transmission.  
***********************************************************************  
Cobra Commander dove out the window of his office into the hallway outside, just as the bomb exploded. Soon after Destro came into the hallway.  
  
"Destro. Good to see you." Then he noticed the figure behind Destro. A figure identical to Cobra Commander.  
  
"Destro, what the hell is going on here?"  
  
"I don't have to explain that to you. In fact, I don't take orders from you anymore. Meet your replacement. He gestured to the figure.  
  
"Let me guess, you pulled Mystique out of deep freeze?"  
  
"No. This is one of our own."  
  
"In that case, shapeshifter, kill Destro."  
  
"I forgot to mention, Dark Beast made some modifications to the brainwashing techniques."  
  
"Oh, wonderful. I guess I'll have to do this the old fashioned way then." He pulled out a pistol and fired directly into the shapeshifter. However, the shapeshifter reformed its body to avoid the bullets.  
  
"Say goodnight Cobra Commander," smirked Destro, and pulled out a pistol of his own. He shot Cobra Commander six times in the chest, then flung him out the window. He watched as the body hit the waves.  
  
Then he whispered something to the shapeshifter. The shapeshifter sat, hit the videophone, which had miraculously survived the blast, and said, "Tamox, Xomat, Mindbender is on his way, I want you to eliminate him as soon as he sets down. Or better yet, before he has a chance to land."  
  
Zartan's face came on the screen. "Cobra Commander, I regret to inform you that Xomat and Tamox are no longer in control of this facility. I faked their orders to move their operations to the Antarctic base a short while ago. My employer is now in complete control of this facility.  
  
"Idiot. You can't expect me to believe that you single-handedly disposed of the entire guard."  
  
"Not just me. Ripper, Buzzer, and Monkeywrench had a hand in it to." The Dreadknocks that he had just mentioned stepped into view.  
  
"Hi Snake Breath." Sneered Buzzer.  
  
"Now if you'll just excuse me." Zartan shut of the videophone.  
  
"He's lying." Said Dark Beast, who was standing in the doorway, "There's no way those idiots could have disposed of the entire guard force."  
  
"And what do you think happened? Pray tell." asked Destro.  
  
"I think Mindbender gambled on Cobra Commander taking him at his word, and won."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"He was farther along in his experiments then we thought. He has an army of mutants."  
  
"Interesting. That could present a problem. All we have are the shapeshifters."  
  
"Well, there is the Brotherhood."  
  
"What do you mean. Mystique's still in the freezer we put her in when we caught her trying to destroy the outpost in Ecuador, she's too risky to use, Pyro's and the Acolytes were killed when they attacked Washington shortly before we announced that Cobra was in command, Magneto's and his daughter are the only one left at large, and we have no idea where they is. Besides, even if we found him, it would take the entire army to defeat him, and that would leave us open to attack from the Resistance. Not to mention the threat his daughter would pose."  
  
"First point, I have positively identified huge magnetic surges in Tibet. Second point, actually, the Resistance is going to help us find him. I'll leak some information through their intelligence. I'm sure they won't pass up this opportunity. If they could ally with him, then they would be poised to overthrow Cobra in an area as big as Alaska. I'm positive that he'll refuse, and then one of two things happen. They beat him, and we move in and take him, or two, he kills them, and we're rid of quite a few members of the resistance."  
  
"I see. Quite a good plan. Practically guaranteed to make me ruler of the world."  
  
"Actually, it will make me ruler."  
  
"I doubt it." Dark Beast looked at the gun in Destro's hand. "Ironic justice isn't it? The same gun I killed Cobra Commander with." Destro smirked.  
  
"I see. Shapeshifter, sleeper cell."  
  
"What will that accomplish?"  
  
"The Shapeshifter is no longer under your command. Shapeshifter, kill Destro."  
  
One of the Shapeshifter's arms transformed into a giant knife. It sliced through Destro like butter.  
  
"Thank you. Now please call up the Baroness's private quarters. I believe she is intending a coup."  
  
"You would believe right." Came the Baroness's voice. She was standing in the door, pointing a submachine gun directly at Dark Beast's head. "Tell your shapeshifter that he has to obey my commands only."  
  
"Shapeshifter, McCoy Alpha Omega Beta Baroness."  
  
"What's that mean?"  
  
"It's a small safety device I installed so that no one could trick me into giving over my command." While he was talking the Shapeshifter had changed into liquid, and oozed over to the Baroness's side. At the word command, two tentacles reached out, and grabbed the Baroness's ankles, pulling her off balance. Her gun clattered to the floor, as she was encased in goop, all except her mouth. Dark Beast walked over and smacked her in the head. She fell unconscious.  
  
"Shapeshifter change back to Cobra Commander. Order guards in here on the double to bring her to the torture chambers. Tell them that I will be along shortly."  
  
There was suddenly the sound of shooting outside. Dark Beast grabbed the Baroness's submachine gun and looked out. Cobra Troops were fighting the Baroness's private guard.  
  
However the Cobra Troops heavily outnumbered the Baroness's private guard, and they were soon forced to retreat.  
  
Two of them had been killed. Another one had been wounded in the leg, and left behind by her comrades.  
  
"Take them both to the torture chambers. I'll be down in a moment." He went back into Cobra Commander's office. Destro's body was gone, replaced by a pile of protoplasm. Dark Beast knelt down and picked up an earpiece.  
  
"Well, Destro, it seems I underestimated you. It would also appear that the game if far from over. Good. It was almost too easy before. This promises to be a challenge." *********************************************************************** Cobra Commander lugged himself out of the river. "Idiot Destro. Thinks I haven't learned a thing from all the times he'd mutinied before. Mindbender's the same. Assumed that I wouldn't notice if the Crimson Twins went missing. They called to complain the moment they got the orders. Well, I outsmarted Mindbender and Destro." He pulled his shirt away to reveal a Kevlar vest. The bullets had damaged it, and one had gone through. It had been stopped by his ribcage, but he was losing blood. "Now they will play off each other. Only one of them will survive, and it will be easy enough for me, with the help of the Crimson Guard, to remove them."  
  
He started walking. Soon he was out of sight of the Cobra base. Not long after, a large hovercraft set down in front of him. Xamot and Tomax were in it, along with several other members of the Crimson Guard.  
  
"Good work. Is the safe-house ready?"  
  
"It is. There are" Said Xamot.  
  
"Enough supplies to lay low for at least a year." Finished Tomax.  
  
"Good let's go." ***********************************************************************  
Destro paced in an underground cavern. Dark Beast's betrayal had been a setback, but not a surprise. Hence the shapeshifter, and hence the shapeshifter, being controlled by the earpiece, and hence the underground safe house.  
  
"I hope you didn't really think it would be that easy McCoy."  
  
The plot thickens. Next, I promise, I will have the Death Valley scene. Hopefully I will be able to tie up a few loose ends and simplify them a bit. Or maybe complicate them.  
  
Lance: Oh sure, as if our lives weren't complicated enough.  
  
Gambit 14: Be quiet.  
  
Lance: No! I have a right to freely express my opinions.  
  
Lance is suddenly hit with a barrage of muffins.  
  
Gambit 14: Not in my story. 


	6. Death Valley

The first matter of business is the reviewer challenge. As it turns out, the four survivors of the age of Apocalypse were (I'm not sure if they're still around,) Nate Grey, The Sugar Man, Dark Beast and Holocaust. Now I promised you Death Valley, and you will get Death Valley.  
  
Death Valley  
  
Althea kicked in the door, and spayed bullets into the air. The guards caught unaware surrendered quickly. Too quickly. Althea shook her head to shake off the feeling that something was wrong.  
  
The troops were working on the forcefield controls. Finally one of the forcefields went down. Then, in an instant, Althea knew why the guards had surrendered so quickly. But before she could do anything, try and reactivate the forcefield, shout out a warning, or even lift a finger, a telepath shoved her thoughts deep back into her consciousness.  
  
Ah, you didn't really think I would let you warn the others did you? Came a voice from within her head.  
  
Who are you? Answered Althea weakly.  
  
I am a vassal of Cobra. I am the sword that will slay the enemies of our glorious empire.  
  
Oh god, thought Althea, he's a fanatic.  
  
Uh-uh-uh. No thoughts like that. You can't hide them from me. Not while I'm in your brain. Time to take your punishment. A bolt of intense pain seared her mind. If she was still in control of her vocal cords, she would have screamed. But she wasn't, so she endured the pain in silence.  
  
You want to scream don't you? Came the voice, taunting her. But you can't. I wonder, how much pain can your brain take, with no outlet for it, before it shuts down? Another intense bolt of pain seared her mind.  
  
Althea fought back, using every bit of her ninja training. The telepath wasn't well trained, and Althea found that she could take control back form him, if only in parts of the body. Soon she took control of the senses, and forced the telepath out of her memory. But she couldn't as easily wrest control of the motor functions. What she saw, when she took control of her sight again, wasn't encouraging. The troops were in a desperate fight against the same mutants who moments before they had been trying to release.  
  
Althea finally pushed the telepath completely out of her mind. Grabbing her gun, she shot one of the mutants who was wielding electricity.  
  
She set her sights on another one, who was manipulating fire. However, before she could shoot, one her own troops shoved the gun up into the air.  
  
The bullets hit the ceiling and sent shrapnel flying down. Althea immediately realized that she hadn't been the only one telepathically attacked.  
  
She flung the man away, into a group of Cobra mutants who had surrounded one of the troops under her command. They scattered. One of them hurled a cluster of tiny sharp needles at her.  
  
Althea rolled out of the way. "You'll have to do better then that," she snarled, before kicking the girl into a wall.  
  
Someone grabbed her shoulders and twisted them behind her back. She kicked them in their stomach, and felt her foot connect with solid rock. She twisted her arms away, and did a back flip to square off against the stone skinned mutant.  
  
Physical attacks proved useless, and the mutant knocked her into a wall. She staggered back to her feet, only to be slammed back into the wall. This time she hit head first, and slid into blissful unconsciousness. ***********************************************************************  
Cyclops's men set up a perimeter around the armory. Cyclops hit the button on his visor, and the door crumpled. He shot part of the wall, and it blew in. The men rushed in.  
  
Cyclops strode confidentially into the room. His troops had quickly subdued the guards. There was a huge safe in the middle of the room. Cyclops put his visor to it's highest power, and narrowest beam. He knelt down in front of the safe, and fired a long blast at the lock. He put one gloved hand on the handle, and swung it open. He knew something was wrong as soon as he saw the small camera. He immediately blasted it, but it was too late. The camera had detected motion and sent a tiny electromagnetic pulse that activated the only other object in the safe. A small mechanical spider. It sent a stream of energy out. Cyclops rolled out of the way, and it struck one of the guards. The guard rapidly turned to a pile of dust. Cyclops blasted at the thing, but it was already moving. It stuck Cyclops's leg with a tiny needle. Cyclops blasted at it again, this time hitting it. It flew across the room, rolled over, and then charged again. Cyclops's optic blast threw it back across the room, but it immediately regained its feet and charged again. One of the men shot it. The bullet bounced off.  
  
Cyclops began to feel tired, no doubt as a result of the needle injection. He blasted the thing one last time, and hit the joint. One of the legs fell off. The thing shot another stream of energy  
  
Cyclops was too tired to dodge, but luckily the energy wasn't of the same kind that had killed the guard. He slammed into the wall, and lay there stunned a long moment. Long enough so that the spider robot had enough time to slam into him at full speed. His spinal column hit the wall, and he was paralyzed, forced to watch, unable to move, as the spider made mincemeat of his men. ***********************************************************************  
Jean used her telekinesis to pick the lock on the door. She telepathically signaled her troops. She opened the door, and one of her troops planted a bomb. Jean sent another telepathic signal, and they moved out. As soon as they were a respectable distance away, Jean pressed a detonator. The lab exploded. An alarm sounded on the other side of the compound.  
  
Let's move said Jean telepathically, pointing to the next lab. One of the men shot out the window. Another tossed in a grenade. They ran as it exploded behind them.  
  
There was one lab left. Men were pouring out of it. Jean manipulated chemicals around inside, causing a devastating chain reaction that destroyed the lab, and all of the equipment in it. ***********************************************************************  
Cyclops watched as the spider suddenly shut down. He slowly managed to use his arms to push himself to his feet. Only one of his men was still standing, and he was badly wounded along his left arm. Cyclops found a first aid kit and bandaged the man's arm.  
  
"Come on Sci-Fi let's go."  
  
"Wait, I think Stalker's still breathing." Cyclops nodded and put his fingers to the man's throat.  
  
"I've got a pulse."  
  
"It just kept coming." Muttered Stalker. "Bullets didn't stop it. Grenades didn't stop it. Nothing could stop it. It just kept coming. Cyclops. I don't think I'm going to make it. My left leg's shattered. One of my ribs must have gone into my heart. Do me a favor Cyclops, put me out of my misery."  
  
Cyclops nodded. "Look into my eyes Stalker." He removed his visor. "Look into my eyes." There was a blinding red flash, and then Cyclops closed his eyes and put his visor back on. ***********************************************************************  
Althea woke up to the scent of smelling salts. "OK, OK, I'm up already. Did we win?"  
  
"Just barely." Said Barbecue. "It was touch and go for a while, but we managed to find the telepaths. After that it got easier."  
  
"Didn't you manage to capture any?"  
  
"No. Mindbender showed up and pressed a button. They all just keeled over dead."  
  
"Did you get the bastard?"  
  
"He's dead. I shot him myself."  
  
"Good. Then there's nothing left here."  
  
"I wouldn't quite say that. Zartan and a few of the Dreadknocks are holed up in one of the bunkers. They're trying to negotiate a surrender."  
  
"Accept only unconditional surrenders. Our leaders will try them for their crimes."  
  
"And if they don't agree to those terms?"  
  
"Then break open one of the pipes and I'll flood them out. We're not letting them escape, not after what we witnessed here."  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
A rebel came up, "Sir, Cyclops and one of his men are outside."  
  
"Tell them to come see me. Wait, did you say that there was only one man with him?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
Althea mused to herself, "I wonder what happened to him?" ***********************************************************************  
Zartan sat in the bunker. Buzzer, Monkeywrench, and Ripper were at the small slit, aiming weapons out into the night.  
  
"You know, I think I figured out how to get out of here." Said Zartan.  
  
"How, boss?" Asked Buzzer.  
  
"I'll give them something to occupy themselves with while I make my escape."  
  
"Good plan boss." Said Ripper, "But what are you gonna distract them with?"  
  
"You three." Answered Zartan, and then, before they could react, shot them. He hit Ripper in the back of the head, Buzzer in the arm, and Monkeywrench on his spinal cord. Then he ran. ***********************************************************************  
Cyclops finished his account just as a group of rebels strode in. They were supporting something in between them. Or to be more accurate, three somethings. They dumped them on the ground.  
  
It was the three Dreadknocks that had been with Zartan down in the bunker. Ripper was obviously dead, Buzzer's left arm was bleeding heavily, and Monkeywrench was spasmodically twitching.  
  
"We heard gunshots," explained the leader, "we stormed the bunker, and found these three." She gestured to the Dreadknocks.  
  
"Alright. Get Buzzer's arm bandaged up. It's too late for the other two."  
  
"Why are we bothering to save this filth?" Asked the leader.  
  
"Because," said Althea patiently, with the tone of voice that she would use to describe things to a small child, "He might have valuable information that one of our telepaths could find. This hypothetical information that would be lost to us if he were dead."  
  
The leader nodded, obviously satisfied.  
  
"Alright. John, Henry, get this scum's arm bandaged. If he tries anything put a bullet between his eyes." She looked at Althea as if daring her to countermand the order. Althea kept her mouth shut. ***********************************************************************  
Jean and her troops were heading towards the research facility, when a hidden trapdoor in the ground opened right in front of them. Zartan climbed out then, seeing the Resistance members, hurled a smoke bomb. Jean created a telepathic shield but it was to late for the rest of her troops. They keeled over. Jean used her telepathy to make sure that they were still alive, and then went after Zartan, who had dived back into the trapdoor. She floated down after him, and saw him rounding a corner.  
  
She reached out with her telekinesis, and stopped him. However she couldn't keep him completely mobile. He flicked his wrist, and a tiny dart flew at Jean. She stopped it, but her concentration was broken. Zartan had rounded the corner and was gone.  
  
She used her telepathy, and found him, waiting around the corner with a gun. She put forth fronds of telepathic energy into his mind. She snaked through the memories, and then found what she was looking for. She switched off his conscious mind.  
  
She turned around the corner, and found a tiny telepathic transmitter. It had projected an exact duplicate of Zartan's consciousness.  
  
She reached out again, and found two more duplicates of Zartan's mind. One of them was moving. She took over his sensory perception.  
  
Another duplicate. She checked the other one. Same story. Zartan had to be using some kind of telepathic blocking device.  
  
Jean sighed, and went back to the surface. ***********************************************************************  
  
"So he's using a telepathic blocking device." Mused Althea. "Then there's not much we can do. Let's head home. Our main mission was a success. There'll be no mutant experimentations here any time soon."  
  
Jean nodded. Soon they were in the jeeps heading back to the base.  
  
Well there you have it. One loose end tied up. And a new reviewer challenge. What was Cyclops's code name in The Age of Apocalypse? The prize remains the same. A shiny new evo pic! Yay! 


	7. Mirror Relations

This is just a piece that I had to put in. It shows how the Resistance members feel about each other in this alternate dimension. And hints at things to come in later fics.  
  
Mirror Relationships  
  
Observation Entry 1265493865. Subject, altered dimensional resistance members. Specific notes: Relationships with other members of the resistance. Begin log entry.  
  
In my longstanding observances of the residents of the planet known as Earth, I have noted many relationships formed and destroyed. This log entry will show such relationships between members of the Resistance in the dimension that I have been commenting on.  
  
Lance paced the section of the sewers that his resistance cell was currently using as a base. Finally he sat down on the straw pallet that served as his bed. A tear trickling down his cheek, he reached underneath and pulled out a box that contained his few cherished items. Among them, a shard from his helmet, a picture of him and the ex-brotherhood boys hanging around Bayville, and a photograph of Kitty. He took this last one out, and looked at it smiling sadly.  
  
"Be safe Kitty." He whispered, "Be safe." ***********************************************************************  
Peter let out his frustration on the training area. He was angry. Angry at Kitty for leaving him, angry at the other resistance members for keeping him in the dark, but most of all angry at himself for not being able to do anything, not being able to protect her.  
  
And at Lance. He was mad at Lance for caring about Kitty. He was mad at Lance for not stopping asking questions until he found out where Kitty was going. Right now he jut wanted to lash out at someone. Toad gave him that chance, although not knowingly. He came in silently, and Peter didn't notice him until he was right behind him. Startled he backhanded him into a wall.  
  
Toad hit the wall feet first and sprang at Peter. He spit slime over Peter's eyes, and kicked the back of his kneecap. Peter hit the ground, changing to metal form.  
  
He swiped at Toad, who grabbed his hand and flung him into a wall. Peter got back up and charged again, guessing where Toad was. Toad jumped over his head, and Peter ran into another wall.  
  
"Got control of yourself tin man?"  
  
Peter, scraping the slime off his eyes, didn't answer. Toad walked out. ***********************************************************************  
Scott was in the planning room alone, with maps spread out all over the table when Toad stormed in.  
  
"Summers, your boy attacked me!"  
  
"Not my boy, there are no more X-men." He looked at Toad, "You were talking about one of the previous X-men, weren't you?"  
  
"Damn right I was. And he is your boy. The treaty we drew up when we formed the merging says you have command over all of the X-men, unless they're on a mission with a different leader."  
  
"All right, so he is my boy. Which one, incidentally?"  
  
"Peter. I walked into the training area and he backhanded me into a wall. No idea why. The guy's a loose cannon. "  
  
"He hit you."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And you hadn't said anything to him that might provoke him?"  
  
"He didn't give me the chance."  
  
"He hit you, then what did you do?"  
  
"I slimed him so he couldn't see, and knocked him down. Then the guy went metal on me. Luckily he couldn't see or I'd be an ex-Toad."  
  
"I'll take care of it."  
  
"See that you do Summers." ***********************************************************************  
Althea dropped down through the manhole, and then carefully replaced the cover.  
  
Suddenly she heard something behind her. She whirled around. It was Todd.  
  
"Hey Al."  
  
"Hey Todd."  
  
"You came back."  
  
"So did you."  
  
"Hey, they can't kill me, I'm just too stubborn to go down."  
  
"And aren't I glad of it." They kissed.  
  
"Todd," said Althea after a while.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"On the mission someone betrayed you didn't they?"  
  
"Not on the team," Answered Todd evasively, not wanting to answer the question, because it would confirm his worst fears about what had gone wrong. There was a traitor in their midst. Someone relatively high up in the intelligence gathering operation.  
  
"But someone set you up. They gave you false information."  
  
"Yeah. In fact, that's part of what I wanted to come here to talk about."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm going on a sting operation to try and flush out any plants or moles. I'll be working deep undercover; I'm not even allowed to tell you the details. But essentially I'll be disguised as a low ranking member of our espionage operation."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Starting when?"  
  
"I'm not allowed to say. I've already probably told you more than I should have."  
  
"Why? I'm not even in the intelligence operation."  
  
"The more you know, the more risk you're at. Al, whoever's selling us out, is probably desperate. I'm guessing they're willing to go farther then giving us bad information. Besides that, I think that someone in the command department is mixed up in this. If they deicide to get rid of me, quiet like, they'll probably try to track down anyone who knows about this operation, so they can't spill the beans about what I was doing."  
  
"Todd, I can take care of myself."  
  
"So can I. If these guys take me out, you'll have a hard time beating them. I just don't want you to get hurt, OK?"  
  
"OK Todd, I just wish it didn't have to be like this."  
  
"So do I Al, but that's out of our hands now." ***********************************************************************  
Jean was washing dishes in a bucket of warm water. Scott came up behind her and began massaging her back.  
  
"Hey Scott. What's going on?"  
  
"We're having internal problems."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, first of all, the mission was obviously a set up. They were waiting for us."  
  
"True. From what I've heard, the Captain America thing was a setup too."  
  
"Right. So someone's giving us bad information. Second, Peter attacked Toad in the training area. I don't know why, but the way Toad made it out, Peter was really trying to hurt him."  
  
"That's odd. I mean, I would have understood if it were Lance, but Toad? What does he have against him?"  
  
"My guess is that his anger wasn't directed at Toad. He was just lashing out."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Third, I think Captain America is suicidal."  
  
"You're joking!"  
  
"I'm not. It makes sense in a twisted sort of way when you think about it. His entire existence was dedicated to protecting America. Now he's failed that mission. He has no reason to live."  
  
"You don't honestly believe that, do you?"  
  
"No, but he does."  
  
"Do you really think there's any danger of him committing suicide?" Jean was genuinely concerned.  
  
"I'm not really sure Jean. Right now, I'm not really sure of anything." ***********************************************************************  
Amanda, far away in Asia with Doctor Strange wasn't aware of what was going on. She'd been meditating for three weeks, almost straight.  
  
She suddenly crashed to the ground from the six feet in the air where she had been meditating. She had to look to see what was going on back home. She turned to Doctor Strange.  
  
"Master, may I try the scrying spell?"  
  
He looked at her curiously. Then he nodded. "Very well."  
  
"Thank you master." She bowed, and went to a large chest, out of which she pulled a scrying crystal. She spoke some words, and formed a picture in her mind. Kurt appeared in the crystal, brandishing a sword. Then there was a flash of images. The mansion in flames, a cold body under a sheet, Fred kneeling, quietly crying over Angelina's dead body, troops marching on a military base, a man in a glass case, dressed in red, white, and blue, and holding a flag colored shield, the Blind Master standing in front of a doorway, fighting off ninjas wearing the insignia of a snake, Rogue grabbing Remy's face, Roberto throwing one soldier into a tree, then whirling around to face another three, the Morlocks running away from a group of androids through a series of tunnels, then she began to faint.  
  
Doctor Strange caught her. "What did you see child?"  
  
"I saw... war. Back home."  
  
"Did you see what is, what was, or what might yet be?"  
  
"The past, I think, and some of the future. And Kurt, he was different. He was harder. Like he'd do whatever he had to. He was... He was Death incarnate to his enemies, and hard the rest of the time."  
  
Doctor Strange nodded. "So it was written, so it has come to be. The sins of the father are apparent in the son."  
  
That's all for today. One more chapter on Cyclops's codename. 


	8. The Plot Thickens

Chapter Eight is up! Yay! I shall now say, moo. Moo. Don't ask me why I just did that. At this point I would like to clearly state that all blame for this alternate dimension can go to me watching too many deep space nine episodes on DVD. Those of you wear Vulcan ears, and memorize the Ferengi rules of Acquisition will now what I'm talking about.  
Now, I have to apologize for the last challenge. I was mistaken when I thought Cyclops had a different codename. He is Cyclops in the age of Apocalypse too. New challenge is; what was Cyclops's relation to Sinister in the Age of Apocalypse?  
  
The Plot Thickens  
  
Fury, Xavier, Hawk, and Spyke sat discussing strategy far into the night. It had been almost a month since the team had stolen the Cobra plane and left for England. Still there had been no word. They had to assume that there was no support forthcoming.  
  
Fury was placing markers on a map of the US. "Cobra has recently placed major bases, here, here, here, and here. Heavily fortified roads go from each of these bases to each other, thus forming a square. We have to assume that there is something important in the middle of this square. But what?"  
  
"We need Arcade in here." Said Hawk, he went to the door, and told one of the guards stationed outside, "Get Arcade. Tell him it's urgent."  
  
The guard nodded and left.  
  
"The only thing I know of in that area that might be of any importance is the old Morlock command center. But we didn't leave anything of value in there. Some food, a few old weapons, nothing that Cobra would find of any value." Mused Spyke thoughtfully.  
  
Arcade arrived, carrying a laptop computer. "This is all I was able to salvage when the Pitt was evacuated." He explained apologetically. "What do you want?"  
  
"We need to know what Cobra might be enclosing within these bases." Said Xavier.  
  
"Got it. I'll run a search." A few moments later he said, "I have it. The only thing of any possible value is the El-" He was cut off when the guard kicked the door open.  
  
Suddenly one of the guard's arms stretched out and wrapped around Arcade's neck, choking him.  
  
"Shapeshifter!" Shouted Hawk. "We've been compromised!"  
  
Fury was on his feet, firing at the shapeshifter. It easily morphed around the shots, then threw out another tentacle, ripping away Fury's gun.  
  
Fury grabbed the tendril, and bit into it. It wrapped around his neck and drew him in.  
  
"Go!" He choked out.  
  
"We're not leaving you!" Shouted Spyke, shooting several fire tipped spikes at the shapeshifter. It easily morphed around them.  
  
"I can take care of it!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
Fury brandished a grenade. He stuffed it into the center of the shapeshifter. Then he pushed himself out of its grip, grabbed Arcade, slung him over his shoulder, and dove for cover behind the table.  
  
The shapeshifter exploded, and lay on the ground all over, little piles of protoplasmic goop. ***********************************************************************  
But it was too late. Cobra hit hard and fast. The perimeter guard was rapidly removed, and the house's door was blown clean off.  
  
Cobra troops adapted a firing position around the now open doorway. A figure in a wheelchair rolled up. He surveyed the resistance members, all either disabled or surrendering, and nodded.  
  
Roadblock saw him and sneered. "Bludd. Looks like the doctors were right. You're chance of walking was a dud."  
  
Bludd nodded to one of his men, who brutally clubbed Roadblock on the head. Roadblock whirled around and grabbed the man, and then threw him into another. Blood was streaming down his face from a wound on his head, but he didn't seem to notice. He grabbed the man from the soldier he had just thrown. He fired the gun into the crowd of Cobra soldiers, scattering them. Then he turned on Bludd.  
  
Bludd calmly fired a tranquilizer dart into Roadblock's chest.  
  
"Do what you like with the others, I want this one alive and intact. Break his legs though, so he won't be able to escape."  
  
"Sir, with all due respect," said one of the soldiers, "he's the most dangerous one of the lot. Why are we taking him alive?"  
  
"Vengeance, private. His brat Toad put me in this wheelchair. Roadblock will lure Toad to me, and then I'll have my vengeance."  
  
"Sir, are you sure that Cora Commander will approve of this?"  
  
"I frankly don't care. He won't get rid of me; I'm one of the few officers who's actually loyal to him. Now fall in Private!"  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
Bludd chuckled. "It's only a matter of time now, Toad. You will come walking right into my trap." ***********************************************************************  
The aforementioned mutant was currently trailing a group of Cobra androids through the sewers.  
  
"Yo, metal face!" He shouted.  
  
The androids turned as one. "Amphibian based mutation, threat to this unit's survival, reacting accordingly." Said the lead one.  
  
"Well, that's nice to know." Quipped Toad. He threw a gas bomb.  
  
"Units unable to register optical input. Switching to infra-red."  
  
It was too late. Toad came through the smoke like a thing out of a nightmare. There was the flash of a sword, and then the android's head hit the ground.  
"Lead unit neutralized, counter attacking."  
  
"Thanks for the warning," joked Toad, and ran the android through with his sword. It sparked then fell to the ground. Toad retrieved his sword and faced the remaining six androids.  
  
One of them fired a rocket at him. He jumped out of the way, but the rocket turned around and came at him again. Toad ran directly at the one who had launched it then at the last moment slid between its legs. The rocket hit the android.  
  
He ran another android through with his sword, then sliced another two's heads off. The remaining two aimed machine guns at him. At the last minute he jumped up, and the two androids shot each other.  
  
One of the headless androids was still upright. Toad kicked it over, and then leaned against the wall to catch his breath. That's how he was caught unawares when four men attacked him. One of them shoved a rag in his mouth, one grabbed his legs, another his arms. The fourth started punching him.  
  
"You're probably wondering what this is all about," said the man holding the rag in his mouth. "The boss doesn't want you sticking your nose into the espionage thing. Boss doesn't want you dead. Just, disabled."  
  
There was a sickening crack as one of his arms broke, "You see," the man continued, "we figure with two arms broken, you'll stick out like a sore thumb."  
  
Toad snapped his head forward, getting away from the man's hands. He spit the rag out and slimed the man beating him with his acid. The black mask kept most of the acid from contacting his skin, but it did get into his eyes. He staggered back yelling.  
  
Toad jerked his leg, sending the man holding it into the wall, and then stood up. He kicked the man holding his arms in the stomach, and then whirled around to face him. Even with one arm broken, Toad was deadly. The man swung at him, and Toad caught his arm and twisted. The man flipped and landed hard on his back. Toad stomped on his head, knocking him out.  
  
He whirled again. The man he had knocked into the wall, on the one who had been holding the rag in his face were approaching him. Toad turned around, ran up the sloping tunnel wall and landed behind them. He slammed his fist into one of the men's neck, snapping his spinal column. The man fell.  
  
The other man whirled around. Toad kicked his nose, sending bone splinters into his brain. He also fell. There was the click of a hammer. Toad whirled around to see the blinded man holding a gun. He began firing it wildly. The bullets flew through the air and hit the wall, the other men, the ceiling, the floor, but not Toad who had leapt up and landed behind the man. He swiftly disarmed the man and knocked him out. He slung the man over his shoulder and strode to the ladder and climbed up out of the sewers. ***********************************************************************  
Quicksilver spun two soldiers around in a tornado until they hit the ground unconscious.  
  
"Two down, only about a hundred to go. I'll be done in no time." He zipped out of the shack he was in, and came face to face with twelve more soldiers. He ran right into them, scattering them, and then taking them out one by one. The last one standing threw a gas bomb at him.  
  
Quicksilver spun around to keep the gas from reaching him, but by the time the gas had dispersed the man was gone.  
  
Quicksilver sighed. "Looks like it's going to be a long day." He ran off in pursuit. From behind him, a figure watched through long-range binoculars. They spoke into a comlink.  
  
"Mister Essex,"  
  
"I told you." Hissed a voice, "Don't use my human name."  
  
"Sorry sir. I don't think that Quicksilver is the one you want."  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"He's cocky, overbearing, but he's not trusting. He'll be hard to manipulate."  
  
"Very well. Perhaps it is time to use Gambit again. Make the necessary arrangements to capture him."  
  
"Yes sir." ***********************************************************************  
Storm spread her arms, and rain poured down from the sky. Wavedancer formed it into a serpent, and used it to attack the troops searching the area for them.  
  
Wavedancer, can you hear me? Came Jean's telepathic voice.  
  
"Yeah, how're you holding up?"  
  
Not too well. They've got most of the troops.  
  
"Toad?"  
  
He was away on some mission. I'm not picking him up. But what I need to tell you, I've been reading some of the officer's minds, and I think their primary objective is to capture Xavier. The thing is, they want him alive. Only alive.  
  
"Why Xavier? I mean, he's a powerful telepath, but he's not that powerful without Cerebro."  
  
"That's just it. They're rebuilding Cerebro, I think."  
  
"That's bad. That's really bad."  
  
I know. I think they're setting up some kind of telepathic dampening device. I have to go now.  
  
"Alright. I should go now too."  
  
Well, worse and worse. Not only have shapeshifters infiltrated the resistance, there is a new, and rather sinister, MWAHAHAHA, player on the scene. Who is he? If you're a comic reader, I think you'll know. If not, you'll just have to wait. 


	9. Escape

All right, no new announcements today. Once again, this chapter can be blamed on DS9 DVDs.  
  
Escape  
  
Toad cocked a pistol, and then kicked the door to the shack open. Wavedancer lunged at him.  
  
They struggled briefly, and then recognized each other. "Todd. Bludd's here. He has Roadblock and a lot of others."  
  
"Who's dead?" Toad was weary, this was the last news he needed to hear, but he wanted to know. He felt he had to know.  
  
"Firestar. A lot of men who I wasn't familiar with. Lance is going fast."  
  
"Let me see him." Toad was in his element, taking charge. Wavedancer was glad to surrender command to him.  
  
"He's in there." She pointed to a small room in the back of the shack. Toad went in. Lance was lying on a cot. He had a line of bullet wounds in his side.  
  
"Hey Avalanche. How're you holding up?"  
  
Lance tried to sit up, but collapsed. "Not too well. You should see the other guy though." He grimaced. "He came from behind me. Riddled me up before I knew what was going on. Then he looked up and saw a wall of earth coming down at him. Did my best. Hope it was good enough. Doesn't look like I- I'm going to get another shot at it, does it?"  
  
"Don't talk like that Lance," ordered Toad. "I'm telling you right now, if you die, I will never forgive you. In fact, I'll kill you."  
  
"Toad," chuckled Lance weakly, "you never cease to amuse me."  
  
"Listen to me. I'm going to find Lifeline. He can fix you up. You know that!"  
  
"Tell Kitty, tell Kitty that I did my best. Promise me you'll do that. Promise me!"  
  
"You can tell her yourself. You aren't going to die Lance."  
  
"I can see the next world, I think. I can see angels."  
  
"I'm going now to find Lifeline."  
  
"Bye Toad. I won't see you again."  
  
"Yes! You will."  
  
"If you say so."  
  
Toad strode out. "Where's Lifeline?"  
  
"Other side of the compound." Said Storm, staggering in. "He's working on Gambit. He took an explosion shielding Scott and Jean."  
  
"Got it. What am I looking at out there?"  
  
"Snipers on every building that will hold them. One of them grazed my leg on my way here. There are also plenty of troops patrolling on ground level."  
  
"Can you give me a fog covering?"  
  
"I'll try." Storm's eyes went white.  
  
"There. That is the best I can do. It should hold out long enough for you to make it about halfway across the compound. After that, you're on your own."  
  
Toad loaded his handgun, and nodded grimly. "So be it."  
  
He walked out. Thick fog shrouded the compound. He saw a dark shape approaching.  
  
Toad stuck like lightning and broke the man's neck. He continued on. The fog was beginning to clear. He ran.  
  
The fog was gone. Toad screwed a silencer onto his pistol, and shot a sniper on the main command center. The man went down on one knee and returned fire. Toad dived out of the way as the bullets sent up a small cloud of dust.  
  
He shot again, this time sending the man off the roof. But the damage was done. Troops, having heard the shots, were racing from all over. Toad reached into his ammo belt and pulled out a grenade. He pulled the pin and rolled it towards a group of men racing from the direction he wanted the shots to go in.  
  
The explosion scattered them. Toad unsheathed his sword and ran at the remaining soldiers. He cut a path through them.  
  
As they regrouped, Toad turned around and ran backwards, throwing another grenade.  
  
"Sorry I can't stay and play, boys." The grenade exploded, with particularly black smoke. By the time it cleared Toad was gone.  
  
***********************************************************************  
Toad strode through the double doors, paying no attention to the armed resistance members guarding the door. Gambit was on his feet limping around the building. Lifeline had just finished healing Kurt.  
  
"Lifeline, we've got trouble."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Lance, he's going fast."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"The other side of the compound."  
  
"I don't know if I'll be able to make it across."  
  
"You're right. I barely made across on my own, and I have no reservations about fighting."  
  
"Maybe he can't make it across," said Kurt, struggling to his feet, "but I can. And I can bring him."  
  
"Kurt, you're weak." Said Lifeline, "are you sure you can handle it?"  
  
"I've done a lot that I am not proud of," replied Kurt, "and I have taken a lot of lives. Maybe, in a small way, I can start to make up for that by helping to save Lance's life."  
  
"All right. Let's go." Said Lifeline.  
  
Kurt put one hand on each of Lifeline's shoulders and teleported, leaving his trademark scent of sulfur and brimstone.  
  
Toad sighed, "Well, looks like I'm going back the hard way." He armed his pistol and left.  
  
Gambit sat up, and pulled out a deck of cards. "Gambit just play solitaire den, no?"  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
When Toad reached the shack, Lifeline was busy bandaging Storm's leg. He looked pale.  
  
"You alright Lifeline?" Asked Toad, concerned.  
  
"I'm fine. I saved Lance, but it took a lot out of me. I don't think I'll be able to use my power on anything bigger than a paper cut for a couple days."  
  
"Is he awake?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good. He needs his rest."  
  
"And it would be a shame to disturb it." Said Bludd in the doorway, "Men, use silencers." He turned and wheeled away  
  
Toad threw his last grenade. "Everybody, out the back, through the tunnels."  
  
"They'll track us without a hitch." Objected Wavedancer, "we have a better chance if we stand and fight."  
  
"If we do that, we'll have no chance. If you go, I can stay behind and slow them down long enough for you to disappear."  
  
"Todd," said Wavedancer.  
  
"I'm staying behind, one way or the other. I advise you go."  
  
"If you stay I'm staying."  
  
Toad realized he didn't have time to argue. More troops were pouring into the area were the door had been, and taking up firing positions. "Fine. Lifeline, take Lance."  
  
Toad kicked over a table and knelt behind it. Wavedancer was right beside him. They took up firing positions.  
  
The Cobra soldiers fired. The thick wood stopped them, but only temporarily. Toad fired. Wavedancer fired. Two soldiers fell. More shots thudded against the heavy oak.  
  
Toad then heard the unmistakable sound of a grenade pin being pulled. He threw Wavedancer back across the room, and hurled the table forward. It deflected the grenade, and sent it back at the troops.  
  
"Eat that snakes." He muttered, then drew his sword and charged the remaining few.  
  
When they were taken care of, he turned to Wavedancer.  
  
"Al, are you OK?"  
  
"Yeah. I'll be all right."  
  
"Sorry about the rough treatment."  
  
"I'm sorry, could you say that a little louder?"  
  
He leaned in. Before he had a chance to talk, she pulled him to her and passionately kissed him. *********************************************************************** About an hour later, they caught up with what was left of the resistance.  
  
"I'm glad you made it." Said Hawk, "Toad, you leave on your mission in two hours."  
  
"Yes sir." Said Toad.  
  
"Wavedancer, I need you to help infiltrate a Cobra base in South America. You get in, download the data we need, namely on their new BATs, plant some plastic explosives and leave."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"That will be all."  
  
Well, for once, the plot hasn't thickened. That's a pleasant change. I was starting to run out of plot devices. Well, that's all for today. 


	10. Things to come

No one got the challenge. This is the last chapter, for it and for the story. So, last chance. One more thing, I made a mistake in the last chapter. Kurt is supposed to be touring Europe and trying to drum up support for the Resistance's cause along with Kitty and Wild Bill. So, please replace his name with Pietro's. Thanks, and sorry.  
  
What Lies Ahead  
  
"You wanted to talk to me?" asked Peter as he strode through the curtain to Scott's room.  
  
"Yes," said Scott wearily, "I did. I understand that a few days ago you attacked Toad?"  
  
"He startled me."  
  
"I've seen him sneak up on you several times before, and you never hit him. What made this time different?"  
  
"I was angry, at the Misfits in general."  
  
"But at Toad in particular?"  
  
"No, at Lance. But I know one thing; I don't feel any remorse for what I did. He's had it coming to him for a long time."  
  
"I'll be the first to agree with that. However, I think it can wait until the Misfits are no longer so necessary to us. Once we can defeat Cobra without their further help, you'll be free to go after Toad, or Lance if you like.  
  
"You mean..."  
  
"A coup. Yes. If you haven't noticed, Hawk and Fury are close pals. And when it comes down to a vote, Spyke is more likely to side with them than he is with Xavier. So the Joes, and hence the Misfits, are really running the show. Soon, all that will change. Essentially we'll split off. If they try to resist that, which is likely, we'll return to violence."  
  
"Why not now?"  
  
"We need more allies. Once Kitty and Kurt return with support from Europe, we'll make our move."  
  
"I see. And until then, I suppose I'll just have to wait?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Does Xavier know about this?"  
  
"You know him, he's a pacifist by nature. He was forced into the role of tactical leader by circumstance. The idea of fighting his own would be alien to him. So no, he doesn't know. Only myself, you, Kurt, and Jean know as of right now." ***********************************************************************  
Hawk paced the infirmary. Arcade was lying on a makeshift operating table. Hawk turned to Lifeline.  
  
"You're sure there's nothing you can do revive him?"  
  
"Not without risking killing him. His body shut down due to the lack of air. That's the only thing that saved him. If I bring him back, I risk reviving his brain before his lungs and heart, and killing him. So, the only way he'll come out of that coma is when he's ready."  
  
"I understand. The only thing that bothers me is; what was he trying to say? What's in that area? L is all we got from him."  
  
"I don't know. But I know that he's strong willed. He'll live through this, and probably come out tougher for it."  
  
"I hope you're right." ***********************************************************************  
"The fact of the matter is," said Fury, "that we've matched Cobra in tactics, determination, and skill, but they have more troops. We have to attack their BAT manufacturing facilities."  
  
"No." Said Xavier, "it's too much of a risk. The BAT factories are a high priority area for Cobra."  
  
"Which is all the more reason that a strike at one of them would seriously damage Cobra."  
  
"The old Morlock tunnels lead to an area about a mile away from factory number three." Said Spyke. "A one man team might be able to avoid the camera beams and guards, and place explosives inside. The trick would be getting out again.  
  
"So you both agree on this?" Asked Xavier.  
  
Fury and Spyke nodded, "very well then, I will concede the point. On one condition. The man is Gambit."  
  
"It makes sense," agreed Fury.  
  
"Fine," said Spyke. "Gambit it is."  
  
"If this fails," said Xavier, "they'll increase security, and we'll never get another chance."  
  
"If that happens, we may as well consider the war lost." Replied Fury grimly. "So, let's hope it doesn't fail shall we?" ***********************************************************************  
Toad walked into Rouge's office. He was wearing an image inducer, one of the only three that the Resistance had, and looked nothing like himself.  
  
"You are?" Asked Rouge sharply.  
  
"Private Sanders, just transferred from infantry, Ma'am." answered Toad. "They said they didn't have enough agents, and you had a mission lined up for me?"  
  
"Yes. You're going to be working with Agent Faces. Your mission is to infiltrate one of the Cobra bases, gather what information you can, destroy their computer records, and sever their communications."  
  
"Yes Ma'am. Do I leave straight away?"  
  
"Yes. Use the side access tunnel."  
  
"Yes Ma'am. Right away ma'am." Toad left. Rouge sat back in her chair.  
  
"Bobby, did you get all that?"  
  
Bobby stepped out from behind a curtain. "Yes. He's Private Sander, just transferred from infantry. Fits perfectly with what Hawk told us."  
  
"Let Agent Faces know that he's to keep an eye on 'sanders' and tell me if he lets anything slip that indicates he's not who he says he is."  
  
"Understood. Anything else?"  
  
"Yes. Give Rahne the message, five days."  
  
"Am I supposed to know what that means?"  
  
"You'll probably be better off if you don't."  
  
"Got it."  
  
"That will be all."  
  
Bobby nodded his comprehension and left. ***********************************************************************  
Arcade, lying on his back in the infirmary croaked out three words. "Eloi. Cobra. Outriders."  
  
But there was no one to hear these words, and in despair Arcade slipped back into unconsciousness. ***********************************************************************  
Althea lay on her back in her quarters, staring at the ceiling. Suddenly Lance burst into the room.  
  
"Wavedancer, get ready."  
  
"For what?" Asked Althea, confused.  
  
"We leave in ten minutes to try and contact Magneto and Polaris. We've placed them in the Caribbean. A cell of the Resistance is waiting for us there."  
  
"Alright, I could use some action." ***********************************************************************  
  
Cobra Commander paced his safehouse. Xomat and Tamox watched him with concern.  
  
"Sir, wearing a hole in the floor," began Xomat  
  
"Won't help matters." Finished Tamox.  
  
"Did you just tell me what I should do?" Asked Cobra Commander, in a dangerous tone.  
  
"No sir," said Xomat hurriedly. "We were just,"  
  
"Giving advice." Said Tamox.  
  
"Good. Now, we have to plan carefully. Has my contact on the inside given us the location of McCoy's quarters yet?"  
  
"No sir," replied Xomat  
  
"It's closely guarded information. He has a shapeshifter bring all his meals directly to his room." ************************************************************************ Watcher file, entry 12654938659: These humans and mutants interest me. They are riddled with contradictions. They cling to life like a precious bauble, but often risk it to save another. Some preach equality for all, and then grind those who are different into the dust.  
  
Hypothesis: human and mutant brain patterns are affected by the changing of the earth's magnetic field, therefore altering their life philosophies.  
  
Assessment: Improbable.  
  
Hypothesis: Humans and mutants, like so many other races I have studied operate on a loose, and easily misinterpreted moral code.  
  
Assessment: Probable.  
  
Hypothesis: Above moral code holds a different meaning for each sentient life form on the planet earth.  
  
Assessment: Probable.  
  
Hypothesis: The humans and mutants, in this dimension termed the resistance, are likely to defeat Cobra, and regain control of the west.  
  
Assessment: Insufficient data to project results.  
  
Final assessment: This planet, in this dimension merits further observation.  
  
Whew, I finished it. As you can probably tell from the Watcher's entry, there'll be more to come. The next fic in this series takes place chronologically before it, when Cobra is just starting to rise to control, just so you won't get confused. It's called The Rise of Cobra and I'll be writing it. Thank you, and have a good time. Those of you who watch movie credits, and the such (I'm not the only one, am I?) May want to read the following. Those who aren't, thank you for reading, it is time to review.  
  
Thanks to Red Witch who gave me permission to use the Misfits, my sister wOLF8, my beta, and all my wonderful reviewers.  
  
Also thanks to those brilliant people who created Star Trek DS9 and thus inspired this weird idea. If anyone is interested I'll be doing another fic in a different AU (non Misfits) where the brotherhood trains under Sabretooth until a certain figure intercedes. Lots of insanity, songs gone horribly wrong, and mad mutants. 


End file.
